Feb 2, 2025 | Map Production
Maps are a scaled down version of an area they represent. Map scale is the ratio of an actual distance on the ground compared to the same distance on a map. The three most common types of map scales are ratio (also called numerical or fractional), graphic, and verbal...Jun 21, 2022 | Map Production, New Editions
After many months of research, fact checking, and editing, it’s always a joy to visit with our printer and watch each new edition roll off the press. Our maps are printed here in Alberta by the Burke Group, who have been working with Gem Trek for decades. With...Mar 3, 2021 | Map Production
Our map updates comprise lots of work out in the field – walking trails with GPS, updating photos, working with Parks Canada and local businesses to ensure accuracy, and fact checking everything from campground facilities to trail elevation gains. For the new...Dec 3, 2020 | Map Production
Of course, the best way to test the ruggedness of Gem Trek Maps is to use them out in the field, but recently we wanted to find the most effective way to depict their waterproof properties using still photos. It was a matter of trial and error, starting with an indoor...Aug 6, 2020 | Map Production, New Editions
One of the most-loved features of Gem Trek Maps is that the map set features a distinctive colour scheme that makes readability of the topography a breeze. To ensure similarity between maps and between editions a press check is important, so we always spend a day or...Mar 2, 2020 | Gem Trek History, Map Production
The first map published by Gem Trek was Kananaskis Lakes in 1991. It was a manually-drafted 1:50,000-scale topographic map based on topographical information found on National Topographic System (NTS) maps produced by the Canadian Government. These maps, while...